Grandmother of eight cleans up with $406.9m lottery win

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A 67-year-old cleaner, Geraldine Williams, has won $US294 million ($406.9 million) - the second largest single ticket lottery prize in US history.

Mrs Williams, who has eight grandchildren, retired two years ago from her job as a janitor at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell and has since supplemented her income by cleaning people's houses.

Now, she could buy them all.

Mrs Williams's lawyer said she had opted to take a lump sum of $US168 million before taxes, rather than the other payment option which offers $US11 million a year over 26 years.

Then there's the bad news. The US taxman will take $US176.4 million - leaving her with $US117.6 million.

But the former US Marine said on Friday after receiving the cheque that she'd have enough.

Mrs Williams said she had always wanted to travel but never had the money.

"I'm a golfer, so I can take some lessons now," she added.

Having bought the Mega Millions ticket at a wine store in Lowell, Mrs Williams said she was watching television with her boyfriend a week ago when the winning numbers were read out.

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"I just looked and stared at the TV and said 'Oh God, oh God'," Mrs Williams recalled.

"I'm holding the ticket and I'm reading the numbers to him but he was in disbelief too.

"He says, 'You sure it's the right date?' We don't believe each other anyway."

Asked if her boyfriend had since proposed marriage, Mrs Williams laughed and said: "No."